Highest 2 Lowest has its imperfections, but there are so many great elements that it comes out positive. There is a tonal dissonance between the dramatic story and its flat, bland imagery that holds the audience back from being fully invested.

Hearing that the new Spike Lee film would be an adaptation of the beloved Akira Kurosawa film High and Low sounded like a strange but interesting combination. Kurosawa is one of the most talented directors of all time, but that doesn’t seem to stop people from adapting his films or being heavily influenced by them. There is an inherent concern with new interpretations that they will be deemed unnecessary and dismissed. After having watched Highest 2 Lowest, this felt like a timely and deserving remake of the classic film.

Highest 2 Lowest follows the same basic premise of High and Low. David King (Denzel Washington) is a co-owner of Stackin’ Hits, a record label of high acclaim that’s on the brink of selling to a bigger company. He lives the good life. He has a sky-high penthouse, additional homes, and beautiful artwork across his walls. He has a beautiful wife, Pam (Ilfenesh Hadera), and a good son, Trey (Aubrey Joseph). He has a chauffeur, Paul (Jeffrey Wright), with whom he is friends, and Paul’s son, Kyle (Elijah Wright), is friends with Trey. They are attending basketball camp together. David has offered to buy his business partner, Patrick, out of his share so he can remain in control of Stackin’ Hits and prevent the sale. He considers it to be his legacy, and he’s not ready to let go of that quite yet.

Pam is not particularly pleased about the situation. David didn’t consult her, yet he will have to take out loans on their house and sell stocks. She confronts him about his lack of interest in music. He’s called the “best ears in the business,” but now it seems like he’s disconnected from it. She’s concerned he’s holding on for the wrong reasons. Everything changes in a minute whenever David receives a phone call from a kidnapper telling him he must pay 17.5 million to get his son back. The police are called, a search is announced, and later that night, Trey is back in their arms. It turns out the kidnappers mistakenly kidnapped Kyle instead, but the threat still stands. Now David is struggling to come to terms with the situation, that the moral thing to do will prevent his plan to take his company back.

One reason there was a cloud of doubt over Highest 2 Lowest was Spike Lee’s previous attempt to remake a beloved film. His Oldboy remake is considered to be terrible. Where Oldboy feels impossible to replicate, High and Low’s story feels ripe for a reimagining. If I hadn’t been told beforehand that this was a new adaptation, I would never have known it. It slots in perfectly to the world of music. The industry is so economically stratified, and musical artists/stars are very public, so the kidnapping plot isn’t out of the realm of logic. While New York is clearly a special place for Spike Lee, it’s also a big city with small-town energy. There’s no way this would’ve worked as well if it were set in Los Angeles. There are moments when Paul reaches out to friends who can deliver information directly to him that helps the case, information that the police have no way to access. Also, the use of public transportation and the short distances between all the major set pieces make New York City the perfect location. It’s also a very culturally diverse landscape, which Lee highlights in many ways, but specifically through the Puerto Rican heritage event. Music is inherently tied to New York City. From jazz to folk to hip-hop, it’s one of the most musically creative places in the world. The story is not just built on jealousy toward a wealthy man, although the money is important. The kidnapper (A$AP Rocky) has a connection to David, adding a personal touch, giving it a more meaningful take on the story.

One relevant theme of the movie that stood out is how capitalism is always corrupting. David used to be obsessed with music. He ate, drank, and lived it. Now he’s focused on the business and maintaining his legacy. His passion got away from him as he chased the almighty dollar. He was also heavily considering not paying the ransom for Kyle, despite it being the right thing to do. One of the reasons he changes his mind is because he knows it’d be a bad look for his career, for Stackin’ Hits. He even held strong against his son’s and his friend’s pleas. It took the night to come to the decision to put up the ransom money. This insane journey he goes through ends up for the best. It forces him to recenter his life around what matters. While this might’ve been a terrible experience, David becomes a better man.

As wonderful as the story was, it’s insane that the film looks so flat. Matthew Libatique, a brilliant cinematographer, having a hand in creating this plain look, is disappointing. I thought it might be the sheen of Apple TV+, but after conferring with others, I wasn’t alone in my thoughts. The penthouse scenes are easily the worst visually, with some slight improvement on the street level, but where is the originality? There is a huge emphasis on art and culture, yet the film is captured so ordinarily that it can’t truly be highlighted. Libatique has captured absolutely gorgeous cinematography in other films, so this criticism should be laid at the feet of Lee. Also, there are a few strange editing choices. There are several moments that are captured twice from different angles, which felt wholly unnecessary. Instead of adding anything to the story, I thought my eyes blinked too much or the TV glitched, but it was the film itself, and it took me out of the story.

Unsurprisingly, Denzel Washington is phenomenal in Highest 2 Lowest. His stature in the film industry naturally mirrors David King’s role in the music industry, even pulling from old photos of Washington to show King’s path to success. It’s completely his story, and he is comfortable playing both the luxurious nature of David’s life and the gritty situation. Jeffrey Wright plays an ex-felon whom David is helping out and is friends with. He’s a muslim, and deeply spiritual. He prays multiple times, especially whenever David agrees to pay the ransom. This isn’t the sort of role I’ve seen from Wright in the past, but he is always great at everything he does. The final performance that should be highlighted is A$AP Rocky, who plays the kidnapper, and what a surprise he was. He begins as a voiceover performance communicating with David over the phone. He’s frenetic and demanding, solely focused on getting his money. Later, there is a tête-à-tête between David and the kidnapper where they confront their issues with each other, and Denzel and A$AP Rocky end up in a genuine improvised rap battle with each other, which wouldn’t have been possible without Rocky’s talents. Going toe-to-toe with Denzel in your debut screen performance and coming away looking great is no small feat. His next role is already coming out this year, with If I Had Legs I’d Kick You, so it looks like his acting career is off to a great start.

In a film about the music industry, it’d be impossible not to mention the music of the film. The most iconic part of the score is this beautiful, string-heavy track with a propulsive sound. It’s constantly moving, keeping the energy up as the story unfolds before our eyes. Composer Howard Drossin is no stranger to a Spike Lee movie, as he’s been an orchestrator across several of his films. Fergus McCreadie, a Scottish jazz musician, is also a collaborator on the film and on the best track of the score. Even beyond that, there are multiple songs featured in the film that are amazing, including “Trunks” by A$AP Rocky and “Highest 2 Lowest” by Aiyana-Lee, who plays a small role as Sula. “Trunks” plays an integral role in the film, and it is ridiculously catchy. “Highest 2 Lowest” is a gorgeous ballad sung at the end of the film. Not only is the song good, but Aiyana-Lee has an amazing voice. The soundtrack is a work of art on its own.

Highest 2 Lowest has its imperfections, but there are so many great elements that it comes out positive. There is a tonal dissonance between the dramatic story and its flat, bland imagery that holds the audience back from being fully invested. If there ever was a Spike Lee joint that should be in theaters, it seems like Highest 2 Lowest would be a no-brainer. A thriller set in the New York music scene starring Denzel Washington and A$AP Rocky seems like a killer combination, but instead, there was little to no marketing, the smallest of theatrical runs, and a drop on Apple TV+ half a month later. We must do better for filmmakers, especially one as talented and legendary as Spike Lee.

Grade: B+

Oscars Prospects:
Likely: None
Should Be Considered: Best Original Score, Best Original Song

Where to Watch: Streaming on AppleTV+